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The Ontario Blues got their 2016 campaign off to a winning start with 19-9 victory over an Alberta Selects side in Edmonton on Sunday. Poor conditions at Ellerslie Park limited attacking play from both sides but the visitors still managed to score three tries to none against a tough side featuring numerous Wolf Pack veterans. The match served as an unofficial preseason match for the two Canadian Rugby Championship sides with the first regular season tilt just two weeks away for the Blues.
A first half try to Dan Moor, playing at outside centre, and convert by Andrew Ferguson gave the Blues a narrow 7-6 lead at the break, with Alberta’s points coming via the boot of Gordon McRorie, operating at flyhalf. Lucas Rumball scored Ontario’s second try shortly into the second half, with McRorie answering with his third penalty. The game would remain within one score until replacement wing Kainoa Lloyd crossed for a decisive score just two minutes before full-time.
The Blues now return home to prepare for their regular season opener against the Atlantic Rock, to be played at Sherwood Forest Park in Burlington on June 4. Many of the Alberta players will join up with the Prairie Wolf Pack, who will host the visiting England Counties side on June 7 at Calgary Rugby Park. Their first CRC match will be on July 2, also in Calgary, against the BC Bears.
ALBERTA SELECTS 9
Pens – G. McRorie 3
ONTARIO BLUES 19
Tries – K. Lloyd, D. Moor, L. Rumball
Cons – A. Ferguson 2
ALBERTA SELECTS
1 Peter Houlihan 2 Matt Harrison 3 Ryan Kotlewski 4 Eric Lopatinsky 5 Conor Turner 6 Kyle Morrison 7 Wayde Hodgen 8 Clay Panga (capt.) 9 Jake Robinson 10 Gordon McRorie 11 Duncan Maguire 12 Graham Turner 13 Mozac Samson 14 Aaron Evison 15 Liam O’Hallahan
16 Casey Reed 17 John Braddock 18 Nick McAuley 19 Connor Sorensen 20 Jeff Nashima-Miller 21 Jake Bentley 22 Dave Evans 23 Ian Shoults 24 Matt McKenzie
ONTARIO BLUES
1 Rob Brouwer 2 Eric Howard 3 Tom Dolezel 4 Hank McQueen 5 Paul Ciulini 6 Mike Sheppard 7 Alistair Clark (capt.) 8 Lucas Rumball 9 Andrew Ferguson 10 Mitch Richardson 11 Brandon McLeod 12 Dan West 13 Dan Moor 14 Trent Cooper 15 John Sheridan
16 Brendan Blaikie 17 Armin Gurdic 17 Doug Wooldridge 19 Dillon Goos 20 Andrew Wilson 21 Kainoa Lloyd 22 Josh Campbell 23 Matt Alexander
with files from Brock Smith and Rugby Ontario
